The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2001-05-11 19:53
This beginner clarinet gets a great writeup on the Brook Mays web site. I know that Tom works for Brook Mays. Is this Tom's own design, or is it another maker's clarinet that he "tweaks"?
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-05-11 23:45
Don't know for sure, but my teacher uses one for our classes (he leaves "baby" -- his R13 -- at home). He knows Tom, so if I can think of it I'll ask him (or the folks at Brook Mays -- my class is in their store) at my lesson tomorrow. Kevin seems to think highly of it as a beginning student horn.
~ jerry
Still in Clarinet Boot Camp
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-05-12 14:41
Tom designed it. It's a great clarinet. All the schools in our city are switching to it for their beginning-intermediate players. The band directors are all excited about it. If I were teaching beginners, I would recommend it. Tom really, really knows his stuff about clarinets. Brook Mays is blessed to have him on board. He used to design for Leblanc. The new Ridenour clarinet is very well made and will serve the kids for a long time until they are ready to "step-up."
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-05-12 20:29
Wellll,
I just came from my music lesson. I asked the clerk at Brook Mays (while I waited for my teacher to finish with the student before me) and the young lady (who is not a clarinetist) told me that Tom turns out each and everyone. I asked, "Are you sure? Do you mean he cranks them ou in his workshop?" "Yes.", she said. Hummmm!
I went into my lesson and asked my teacher. It seems as though they are built to Tom's design specifications by someone else ( I couldn't find out who). Also, I was a little too hastey in my previous post about my teacher's assessment. Today he said that there has been some quality control issues in the past and that it is now being advertised that each instrument is being play tested by Mr. Ridenour himself.
He added that the horn has a very nice sound but he is disappointed with the looseness of the keys. He demonstrated by wriggling the trill keys. He said that when the "new" instruments come out (meaning the ones since the quallity control issue has been addressed) he is going to try to get the top section of his replaced.
FWIW I have not played it. I would not be a reliable evaluation source if I had.
~ jerry
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Author: dew
Date: 2001-07-02 00:03
Tell us, please, what is so great about this clarinet?
Our school district used to have E11s and student Yamahas on their approved list.
Brook Mays is now renting Ridenours to beginning clarinet students. Ridenours are not endorsed by our private teacher; she gets adolescents on R13s asap.
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